Bird Photography- More Thoughts

Besides the obvious pleasure that comes with viewing and capturing beautiful images of birds as a hobby, doing so also has the potential to benefit these amazing creatures in another way. In the July 2013 issue of the National Geographic Magazine there is a report called “Last Song” detailing the killing of untold millions of songbirds and raptors for sport, profit, and eating around the Mediterranean Sea. All across Europe, bird populations are in steep decline that is likely due in part to the killing of birds as they migrate from Europe into Northern Africa.

The countries that have an especially long history of killing large numbers of birds include Italy, France, Albania, and Egypt. The birds killed and hunted include most songbirds, as well as storks, cranes, and large raptors–pretty much anything that flies.

So here lies the power of visual images as well as an international forum to spread the message of conservation for these beautiful creatures. It is to everyone’s advantage to have our Spring filled with the joyous cry of the songbirds and our air a highway for geese and other migratory birds, as has been the case for many thousands of years. Bird viewing and photographs help convey the truth that sharing our world with them and protecting birds from overkilling is simply the right thing to do. The truism that a “picture is worth a thousand words” speaks to the power of images, so keep snapping those pictures of our many feathered friends.